Presently, ever-expanding requirements on inter-component data gathering and processing demand more complex satellite systems. In addition, and with regards to satellite system hardware, electronic component densities and pin counts already approach levels where board designers are further challenged to avoid any electromagnetic interference due to dense electronic board layouts and signal routing. Moreover, incorporating a large number of these electronic components, along with stringent thermal management and suitable power distribution add more challenges in building a reliable satellite system for mission-critical space applications.
Current satellite system designs rely on variations of two fundamental inter-connection types: rigid direct interconnects and shared communication buses. The rigid direct interconnects, while providing high communication bandwidth with low latency, suffer exponentially growing complexity in system design and data routing. Conversely, a shared communication bus architecture, while significantly reducing system complexity, suffers from low data rates and large time delays.
Each of these inter-connection architectures have reduced levels of system-wide fault tolerance and re-configurability support. For example, the rigid direct interconnects require extensive mechanical verification during assembly of the satellite system, since these interconnects are subject to extreme levels of vibrations during testing and (eventual) launch of the system. There are concerns that these vibrations will disengage the interconnects, causing one or more communications faults within the system. Moreover, a single failure in a particular communication bus or direct interconnect will render a permanent functional loss of any affected components. In addition, there is also a growing need for parts of these satellite systems to split into one or more modules after launch. For example, it is preferable that this splitting does not involve cutting of any direct-wired or optical interconnects that are required to maintain communications within the system.
In each of these instances, human intervention is necessary to reconfigure the system, either to circumvent the failed components or to support new satellite missions. Thus, there is a need for improvements in inter-component data communications in satellite systems.